A saucy version of a traditional tale of the Chinese zodiac from the creators of Ten Suns (1998). Long ago when the Jade Emperor of China was selecting the animals for the Chinese calendar, all the animals wanted to be included. Dragon, sensitive about his bald head, complains to Centipede, who offers, for a price, to obtain Rooster’s gorgeous antlers. Generous Rooster, certain he will be chosen with or without antlers, lends them to Dragon for “as long as he needs them.” Rooster stews when the Jade Emperor selects him tenth, for the dragon was chosen fifth, surely because of his headwear. Worse, Dragon refuses to give the antlers back and Rooster gets mad, forever; to this day, he hops on a fence and calls, “Ku-keri-keru! Dragon, you thief! Give back my antlers!” The telling is well-timed and funny, while the illustrations, with the look of Chinese paper-cutting, thoroughly complement the text. Amid heavy black lines are vividly colored areas, all against a deep aqua background, and filled with pattern and movement. (Picture book. 6-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 15, 1999
ISBN: 0-8234-1385-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 1999
Baker (Big Fat Hen, 1994, etc.) engages in more number play, posing ducklings in every combination of groups, e.g., “Splashing as they leap and dive/7 ducklings, 2 plus 5.” Using a great array of streaked and dappled papers, Baker creates a series of leafy collage scenes for the noisy, exuberant ducklings to fill, tucking in an occasional ladybug or other small creature for sharp-eyed pre-readers to spot. Children will regretfully wave goodbye as the ducks fly off in neat formation at the end of this brief, painless introduction to several basic math concepts. (Picture book. 4-6)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-15-292858-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1999
Big Brown Bear, with a natty bowler hat, is all set to paint the house in this cheerful Level 1 reader. Every page presents a full-color scene and a few words of easily predicted, often rhyming text: “Bear is big. Bear is brown. Bear goes up. He comes down.” Big Bear climbs a ladder with a pail of blue paint, while nearby, Little Bear plays with a ball and bat—“Oh no! Little Bear! Do not do that!” These are simple words, but sometimes challenging ones, e.g., there are two uses of up, as in climbing the ladder and washing up. The pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations provide nearly ideal context, while also amplifying the story. The format is attractive and practical, featuring large type on a white background that is placed for easy reading. Beginning readers will be amused by the gentle humor in the book, and feel accomplished to have tackled it themselves. (Picture book. 5-7)
Pub Date: March 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-15-201999-5
Page Count: 20
Publisher: Green Light/Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1999
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